Shredder mechanism and improvements therein

ABSTRACT

An improved shredder construction including a revolving shaft and a series of blade assemblies mounted by their associated hubs to the shaft. The individual hubs or hub sections are keyed to the shaft, whereas the respective blade assemblies are pinned to their respective hubs or hub assemblies. In the invention the composite hub structure includes a series of hub sectors, generally two, which are bolted together at opposite sides. Cutter bar bases supporting cutter bars operatively associated with the blades are raised at their underneath dimension such that centrifugal force will cause debris hanging on to the blade assembly, exposed relative to the cutter bases, to be thrown outwardly and downwardly free of the equipment. Accordingly, the cutter bar structure including their bases are relieved such that the blades will be exposed proximate their lowermost peripheral trajectories of travel. In a preferred embodiment, blades are likewise affixed to the lower edges of the cutter bar structure such that should there be any remaining debris clinging to the blade structure, the same will be simply brushed or sheared as the blade returns upwardly, relative to its outer extremity, into the region between adjacent cutter bars.

United States Patent 1191 Primary Examiner-Granville Y. Custer, Jr. Assistant Examinerl-loward N. Goldberg Brewer Oct. 8, 1974 SHREDDER MECHANISM AND [57] ABSTRACT IMPROVEMENTS THEREIN An improved shredder construction including a re- 75 1 Inventor; J Brewer, l L k City, volving shaft and a series of blade assemblies mounted U h by their associated hubs to the shaft. The individual hubs or hub sections are keyed to the shaft, whereas [73 1 Asslgnee: Garbahzer Corporanon of Amenca the respective blade assemblies are pinned to their resalt Lake Utah spective hubs or hub assemblies. In the invention the [22] Filed: Feb. 23, 1973 composite hub structure includes a series of hub sectors, generally two, which are bolted to ether at oppo- [211 Appl' 335008 site sides. Cutter bar bases supporting gutter bars op eratively associated with the blades are raised at their [52 us. c1..... 241/32, 241/191, 241/243, underneath dimension Such that centrifugal force will 241 294 cause debris hanging on to the blade assembly, ex- [51] Int. Cl. B02c 23/04 P relative to the cutter bases, to be thrown [58] Field of Search 241/32, 190, 191, 197, wardly and downwardly free of the equipment 241/243 2921 294 29 300 cordingly, the cutter bar structure including their bases are relieved such that the blades will be exposed [5 References i d proximate their lowermost peripheral trajectories of UNITED STATES PATENTS travel. In a preferred embodiment, blades are likewise affixed to the lower edges of the cutter bar structure gg z g such that should there be any remaining debris cling- 2 956 602 10/1960 Gronbergz: I: LII 124N243 ing to the blade structure Same will be Simply 9/1961 Kirchern 24]90 X brushed or sheared as the blade returns upwardly, rel- 3027925 4/1962 gronbergnn 214N190 X ative to its outer extrem1ty, into the region between 3,229,921 1/1966 Hess et al. 241/190 adjacent cutter bars. 3,708,127 1 I973 Brewer 24l/32 3,762,655 10i1973 Brewer 241/32 1 Clam" 6 Drawmg F'gures PATENIEU DC? 85314 1 W/w??? f w w FIG.3

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THEREIN The present invention relates to the industrial shredders such as shredders usable in reducing municipal waste, garbage and the like and, more particularly, to a shredder having a series of mutually spaced revolving blades, preferably arranged in a helical pattern about the axis of the revolving shaft associated with the several blade structures. The blade assemblies are transversely pinned to hubs which are made up on the revolving shaft as by positioning keys. Shear pins are used so as to provide a safety feature for the blades. The hubs are uniquely designed so as to provide a tight take-up on the shaft as well as facilicate the slight clearance that might be desired relative to the blade structure such that the same will easily slip about the hub should shear pins become sheared as through overload.

The cutter bar structures are relieved along their lower margins such that as each blade assembly revolves, its tip will protrude downwardly beneath the lower contour of the cutter bar structures. In this way, material clinging to the blade will be freed from the constraining influence of the associated, mutually parallel cutter bar structures so that such material as clings to the blade will be thrown outwardly by a centrifugal force. Should any debris remain, then the same can be cut, or simply scraped from the revolving blades, such as by appropriate blade means as attached to the lower contour of the respective cutter bar structures.

Accordingly, a principal object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved shredder construction.

A further object is to provide, in a shredder construction having a series of revolving blades mounted upon a shaft, improved cutter bar structures which are relieved at their lower margins such that revolving blades will proceed downwardly beneath such contour, thereby enabling debris clinging to the blade to be thrown freely both from the blade and cutter bar structures.

A further object is to provide blade means attached to the lower contour of cutter bar such that, as the revolving blade assemblies proceed along their travel paths, any debris clinging to the blade past its lowermost point of travel will be cut, sheared or simply scraped from the blade assemblies, thereby preventing re-entrance of the material between adjacent cutter bar structures.

A further object is to provide a hub assembly that can be suitably tightened down upon the shaft of a shredder, keyed thereto, and yet adjustable as to normal friction forces or even clearance, relative to the respective blade assembly, to be relievably mounted thereto.

The features of the present invention which are believed to be noval are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The present invention, both as to its organization and manner of operation. together with further objects and advantages thereof, may best be understood by reference to the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. I is a fragmentary top plan of the structure of the present invention in a preferred embodiment and shows two of a series of blade assemblies with their cutter bars.

FIG. 2 is a transverse vertical section taken along the line 2-2 in FIG. 1. 1

FIG. 3 is an enlarged section taken along the line 3-3 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged section taken along the line 4-4 in FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged section taken along the line 55 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 6 is a plan view illustrated in section and taken along the line 6-6 in FIG. 2.

In FIGS. 1 and 2 a blade assembly 10 includes a pair of blade halves 11 and 12 which may be identical in shape and secured together by bolts, B1, B2, and B3, at each of two places respectively. Each of the blade assemblies will likewise include cutter blade segments 13 and 14 which are secured in place by screws 15 passing into drilled and taped apertures 16. Apertures 17, 18, and 19 may be drilled and tapped, as well their counter-parts as at 21 and 22 by way of example, so that the entire blade assembly may be secured together. The blade assembly is secured about and includes a hub assembly 23. The latter is comprised of plural hub segments 24, in their assembly resembling a thickened washer having an inner peripheral groove 25, see FIGS. 2 and 4. The-hub assembly 23 is secured by one or more keys 26 to revolving shaft 27. Shaft 27 is driven by suitable drive means 28 such as a shaft extension via motor 29. The latter may be bolted by bolts 30 to frame structures 31 In returning to a consideration of the hub assembly, at 23, it is seen that the hub segments 24 may be designed to be semi-circles, with the two being secured together by a pair of bolts 31 and 32 and also bolt pair 33 and 34. Thus, the hub assembly is pinned to the shaft as shown in FIG. 3 and, in addition, includes one or more shear pins 35, as seen in FIG. 5. Accordingly, in operation the structure as thus described provides a series of blade assemblies as at 10 and 10 in figure. Phantom line L illustrates, in conjunction with FIG. 1, that these blade assemblies are staggered, in fact, a

locus of the points of the cutting edges or cutting segments of the blades will describe a helix about the axis of shaft 27.

In any event, the blade combination is mounted upon the shaft and operates fully to cut or shear materials that drop into the hopper H as defined by structure 38. Should there be a jamming of the machine, as to particular blade assembly, then that blade assembly may easily revolve about its own hub assembly 23, this with a breaking of shear pin or pins 35 along one of its cutting planes P1 or P2 as seen in FIG. 5. The prior tightening of bolts 31-34 will allow clearance, as desired, to effect cutter blade slippage.

Of special importance in the invention is the provision of upstanding cutter-bar ribs 39 each having cutter bar segments 40. The latter include recessed screws or bolts 41 which affix the blade segments to the cutter bar 39 by means of drilled and tapped apertures 42. A cross structure at 43 may secure various ones of the respective cutter bars 39, see FIG. 1, in place. It is noted that there will be provided, for the concave, contoured portion 44 of each cutter bar 39, a relieved bottom surface 45 of the cutter bar such that the revolving blade will descend therebelow. This is so that any material sticking to the revolving blade assembly of the latter passes through the spaces S, will be thrown out by centrifugal force, as soon as the material reaches area C;

further any slight particles or debris as might remain on the plate may be cut or wiped off as by the addition of a respective blade segment 47. These are mounted by attachments 48 to drilled and tapped apertures 49 at each of the angulated surfaces 50 of the several cutter bar bases as at 39.

Thus, in the operation of the invention the revolving cutting blades cut or shear materials such as the same proceed downwardly to drop through the spaces S between the cutter bar bases and their cutter bar segments. Any material that chance to stick upon the blade assemblies will be thrown out by centrifugal force once the blade reaches area C. Should any .slight debris remain on the blade at this point, then the wiping or cutting blade at 47 will remove or cut the remaining materials.

Structure S includes a side plate 51 as well as central plate 52 mounted thereto by attachments 53. This structure may be utilized by journaling opposite ends of the shaft 27, and for directing the flow of materials downwardly along the arrow D, and so forth. An aperture as at 53' will be provided, of course, to allow passage for the shaft.

What is provided therefore is a new and improved shredder construction of optimum design, especially at that area of the blade assembly which is intended to slip about its hub in the event of the shearing of the shear pin mountings to the hub, this in the event of overload. Another feature is the provision of sufficient clearance underneath the cutter bar structure so as to prevent accumulations, the blade structure to be thrown out by a centrifugal force, with any debris remaining being wiped or sheared off as by wiping or shearing blade 47 in FIG. 2.

While particular embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that changes and modifications may be made without departing from this invention in its broader aspects, and within the true spirit and scope of the invention.

1 claim:

1. A shredder construction including, in combination, a shaft; a series of mutually spaced blade assemblies; plural, mutually spaced hub means keyed to said shaft, each of said hub means comprising plural arcuate segments each having a corresponding outer, peripheral groove, said grooves comprising a composite peripheral groove when said segments are assembled together; attachment means for securing together said segments and tightening the same together down onto said shaft, said blade assemblies being mounted to said hub means at said respective composite peripheral grooves; shear pin means for securing respective ones of said blade assemblies to said hub means, the interior of said blade means being dimensioned such that the frictional coaction of each of said blade means with said hub means is controlled by the tightening of said attachment means.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3,840,187 Dated October 8, 1974 Inventor C It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Col. 2, line 17, change "taped" to --tapped--.

line 18, after "well" insert --as. line 38, cancel "figure" and substitute Fig. l-. Col. 4, line 1, delete the comma and insert -upon-;

same line, delete "to be" and substitute --,which are--.

IN THE DRAWINGS Delete the numeral "44" and its lead line in Fig. 1.

Add an underline to the numeral "39" at the lower left of Fig. 2; also in Fig. 2, add the numeral "44", and a lead line therefrom terminating 3/8" horizontally to the left of the upper termination of the lead line belonging to numeral 39, in Fig. 2.

Make same changes as above to the drawing which appears beneath the ABSTRACT on page 1 of the patent.

Signed and Sealed this twemywixth D a) of July 1977 [SEAL] a A nest:

RUTH C. MASON C. MARSHALL DANN Atteslmg f Commissioner of Patents and Trademarks 

1. A shredder construction including, in combination, a shaft; a series of mutually spaced blade assemblies; plural, mutually spaced hub means keyed to said shaft, each of said hub means comprising plural arcuate segments each having a corresponding outer, peripheral groove, said grooves comprising a composite peripheral groove when said segments are assembled together; attachment means for securing together said segments and tightening the same together down onto said shaft, said blade assemblies being mounted to said hub means at said respective composite peripheral grooves; shear pin means for securing respective ones of said blade assemblies to said hub means, the interior of said blade means being dimensioned such that the frictional coaction of each of said blade means with said hub means is controlled by the tightening of said attachment means. 